Dig Your Heels In: Recent Episodes
MarketScale
A woman’s work is never done. Join us as we discuss the obstacles, passions, and guidance of industry-leading ladies making a difference for generations of women to come.
We’ve all had moments when we feel doubt in ourselves, education, experience, and accomplishments. This is known as imposter syndrome, and unfortunately, many female leaders and professional women struggle with imposter syndrome. Megan MacDonald is now a C-Suite executive at Hello Alice, and with solid mentorship, she developed faith in herself. MacDonald’s background focused on business growth and development but was rooted in a holistic marketing approach. Today, she is the Chief Strategy Officer at Hello Alice, a female lead company co-founded by two women.
A 2022 study published by Statista determined the share of companies in the United States with female CEOs increased from 1.6 percent to 4.9 percent from 2004 to 2018. While there’s been growth, there’s still room for improvement. MacDonald says, “It’s a little daunting and inspiring in that there’s so much opportunity to drive change.” She sees it as an opportunity to educate and empower both women and men. With these numbers in mind, she’s challenging herself to be the best leader she can be and create opportunities for women to join her at the top.
These stats highlight that the battle for true equality is ongoing. While imposter syndrome disproportionately affects high-achieving people, a KPMG study found that seventy-five percent of executive women report having personally experienced imposter syndrome at specific points in their careers. Unfortunately, nearly half (47%) of executive women say that their feelings of self-doubt result from never expecting to reach the level of success they have achieved.
MacDonald is familiar with imposter syndrome. “There were so many times early in my career… I had this feeling that said, ‘you’re probably not right, who are you to know the answer to that, or who are you to know better,’” says MacDonald. She questioned her strategies and remained in the background.
“With mentors and people who give you opportunities to step up and lean in, it builds confidence,” says MacDonald. As soon as MacDonald started working, she started building mentorship relationships. “I sought and found women in the organization and where I worked.”
With the advice of a mentor, MacDonald went back to school. She started to use data to drive recommendations, action, and strategies. Mentorship remained a thread throughout her career. “Those mentors were at all levels, in all different roles where I worked,” said MacDonald. Thanks to role models, MacDonald developed what she calls the ‘sweet spot’ of her career success.
For MacDonald, this sweet spot is a combination of education and intuition. She says, “data plus yourself, plus anchoring into the best interest of your consumer and your organization,” is where she operates at an optimum level. Building confidence also means that MacDonald can pivot and still move forward when she isn’t on the right path with an idea.
The KPMG study also found that eighty-one percent believe they put more pressure on themselves not to fail than men do. If imposter syndrome is the sister of a fear of failure, then there is power in embracing being wrong and knowing that initial plans can pivot as needed. “Build the confidence over time that even if [your ideas] are not right, you can move forward,” says MacDonald. MacDonald refers to it as “fail forward.” “There’s power in removing that fear of failure or being wrong.” Once that fear is shaken, MacDonald feels that female professionals can act and work more authentically “rather than worrying about the role they need to play,” says MacDonald.
We’ve all had moments when we feel doubt in ourselves, education, experience, and accomplishments. This is known as imposter syndrome, and unfortunately, many female leaders and professional women struggle with imposter syndrome. Megan MacDonald is now a C-Suite executive at Hello Alice, and with solid mentorship, she developed faith in herself. MacDonald’s background focused on business growth and development but was rooted in a holistic marketing approach. Today, she is the Chief Strategy Officer at Hello Alice, a female lead company co-founded by two women.
A 2022 study published by Statista determined the share of companies in the United States with female CEOs increased from 1.6 percent to 4.9 percent from 2004 to 2018. While there’s been growth, there’s still room for improvement. MacDonald says, “It’s a little daunting and inspiring in that there’s so much opportunity to drive change.” She sees it as an opportunity to educate and empower both women and men. With these numbers in mind, she’s challenging herself to be the best leader she can be and create opportunities for women to join her at the top.
These stats highlight that the battle for true equality is ongoing. While imposter syndrome disproportionately affects high-achieving people, a KPMG study found that seventy-five percent of executive women report having personally experienced imposter syndrome at specific points in their careers. Unfortunately, nearly half (47%) of executive women say that their feelings of self-doubt result from never expecting to reach the level of success they have achieved.
MacDonald is familiar with imposter syndrome. “There were so many times early in my career… I had this feeling that said, ‘you’re probably not right, who are you to know the answer to that, or who are you to know better,’” says MacDonald. She questioned her strategies and remained in the background.
“With mentors and people who give you opportunities to step up and lean in, it builds confidence,” says MacDonald. As soon as MacDonald started working, she started building mentorship relationships. “I sought and found women in the organization and where I worked.”
With the advice of a mentor, MacDonald went back to school. She started to use data to drive recommendations, action, and strategies. Mentorship remained a thread throughout her career. “Those mentors were at all levels, in all different roles where I worked,” said MacDonald. Thanks to role models, MacDonald developed what she calls the ‘sweet spot’ of her career success.
For MacDonald, this sweet spot is a combination of education and intuition. She says, “data plus yourself, plus anchoring into the best interest of your consumer and your organization,” is where she operates at an optimum level. Building confidence also means that MacDonald can pivot and still move forward when she isn’t on the right path with an idea.
The KPMG study also found that eighty-one percent believe they put more pressure on themselves not to fail than men do. If imposter syndrome is the sister of a fear of failure, then there is power in embracing being wrong and knowing that initial plans can pivot as needed. “Build the confidence over time that even if [your ideas] are not right, you can move forward,” says MacDonald. MacDonald refers to it as “fail forward.” “There’s power in removing that fear of failure or being wrong.” Once that fear is shaken, MacDonald feels that female professionals can act and work more authentically “rather than worrying about the role they need to play,” says MacDonald.
YiDing Yu is the CMO at Olive, a practicing physician, published researcher, and serial entrepreneur. As a female in the healthcare and tech industries, she's excited about the growth of women in healthcare. Yu said she grew up with a ton of interests. She knew she wanted to be a doctor when she was little. But her love of politics and technology helped her combine her hobbies and develop beyond a practicing physician. Yu recalls she was driven by the thought of “how to solve the challenges I saw every day in healthcare” and eventually figured out that the “best way to solve that is working in systems.” And that’s how she got the tech bug.
According to an article published by the Harvard Business Review, for over 25 years, women have made up at least 40% of U.S. medical students, and in most recent years, more women than men have been enrolled in U.S. medical schools.
Yu lived this statistic, and she understands better than anyone that female enrollment in medical school is not reflective of women in leadership roles. Healthcare IT News found that despite the growth in women's medical students, “only 25-30% percent of healthcare executives – and just 13% of CEOs – are female.” Yu has broken through that ceiling and has some empowering advice for how rising physicians can pave their way, and she reflects on what she learned from her development and male mentors.
Yu understands firsthand the struggle that women experience in the medical field. One of the first and most tangible things that she recommends is for aspiring healthcare leaders to protect their time for professional development. Women in medicine tend to put their patients first and professional development second. Yu recalls that her professional development occurred when she challenged herself and participated in special projects from administration to innovation. Once that starts, typically, development projects beget more development projects.
Be assertive and advocate for yourself. Chase that promotion, carve out time for professional development the way men are encouraged to, and source mentors who can strengthen your understanding of business strategy and financials. Always remember, you are the CEO of you. A recent study from Modern Healthcare News reported, "Typically, more men are exposed to finance and operations development than women, leading to lopsided leadership representation."
Yu recalls learning to protect time to develop her leadership skills and forging her path by deviating from the style of male mentors. She says, "Every single role model who was in a position that I thought I might want was a man. Early in my career, I had to think through what is it like for a woman to be in that career? Do I have to act how they act?"
Yu urges women not to conform to the style of their male leaders if it isn’t natural for them. She recalls, "I felt like I was trying to dance a jig. Be enthusiastic but not too enthusiastic, assertive but not so assertive that you intimidate people." Of course, professional behavior has to be upheld, but men and women operate differently. Successful leaders look different. They come in all different shapes, dialects, styles, and appearances.
YiDing Yu is the CMO at Olive, a practicing physician, published researcher, and serial entrepreneur. As a female in the healthcare and tech industries, she's excited about the growth of women in healthcare. Yu said she grew up with a ton of interests. She knew she wanted to be a doctor when she was little. But her love of politics and technology helped her combine her hobbies and develop beyond a practicing physician. Yu recalls she was driven by the thought of “how to solve the challenges I saw every day in healthcare” and eventually figured out that the “best way to solve that is working in systems.” And that’s how she got the tech bug.
According to an article published by the Harvard Business Review, for over 25 years, women have made up at least 40% of U.S. medical students, and in most recent years, more women than men have been enrolled in U.S. medical schools.
Yu lived this statistic, and she understands better than anyone that female enrollment in medical school is not reflective of women in leadership roles. Healthcare IT News found that despite the growth in women's medical students, “only 25-30% percent of healthcare executives – and just 13% of CEOs – are female.” Yu has broken through that ceiling and has some empowering advice for how rising physicians can pave their way, and she reflects on what she learned from her development and male mentors.
Yu understands firsthand the struggle that women experience in the medical field. One of the first and most tangible things that she recommends is for aspiring healthcare leaders to protect their time for professional development. Women in medicine tend to put their patients first and professional development second. Yu recalls that her professional development occurred when she challenged herself and participated in special projects from administration to innovation. Once that starts, typically, development projects beget more development projects.
Be assertive and advocate for yourself. Chase that promotion, carve out time for professional development the way men are encouraged to, and source mentors who can strengthen your understanding of business strategy and financials. Always remember, you are the CEO of you. A recent study from Modern Healthcare News reported, "Typically, more men are exposed to finance and operations development than women, leading to lopsided leadership representation."
Yu recalls learning to protect time to develop her leadership skills and forging her path by deviating from the style of male mentors. She says, "Every single role model who was in a position that I thought I might want was a man. Early in my career, I had to think through what is it like for a woman to be in that career? Do I have to act how they act?"
Yu urges women not to conform to the style of their male leaders if it isn’t natural for them. She recalls, "I felt like I was trying to dance a jig. Be enthusiastic but not too enthusiastic, assertive but not so assertive that you intimidate people." Of course, professional behavior has to be upheld, but men and women operate differently. Successful leaders look different. They come in all different shapes, dialects, styles, and appearances.
As any parent knows, keeping kids occupied without using technology can prove to be quite challenging. Screen time continues to be on the rise with the increase in computers and smartphones replacing textbooks in the classroom. The global pandemic brought this to a head with quarantines and school closures necessitating the use of technology to facilitate learning.
Rachel Neill, Co-founder, and CEO of Figgy and veteran parent of six children became inspired by the dilemma parents were tackling throughout the pandemic – how to keep kids engaged and active while stuck at home without using technology?
“During the pandemic, I realized that there was a need to keep kids active and busy while parents were trying to navigate working from home. So, I launched Figgy on Kickstarter and we had a really successful campaign and it shot off from there,” explained Neill. Figgy supports active playtime with infinite possibilities while being easy to clean and very fashionable.
But what gave Neill the courage to start her own business, and what drives her to succeed as a female leader and entrepreneur as she balances being a mom and running a business? It all began when Neill became a mother at the age of 16. She put herself through college and got a full ride to law school. Neill became adept at creating paths to get what she wanted. Her tenacity came from the knowledge that someone was depending on her.
“You only need one yes,” is one of her favorite sayings. Even today, she admits there are challenges to balancing motherhood and her work but she focuses on putting one foot in front of another.
This is more important than ever to support gender equality in the workforce. According to a 2022 study published by Statista, female CEOs increased from 1.6% to 4.6% from 2004 to 2018. And while that is progress, there is still a massive discrepancy with males leading the vast majority of businesses. So, how do we continue to work towards a more balanced workforce?
“We need more role models. We need the women who have made the progress and helped that statistic go up to really encourage and share with other women that this is a possibility and something that they can do,” stated Neill.
And, if you can’t find the opportunity that you are seeking, create it! Entrepreneurship is a great way to go for women who want to blaze their own trail and turn their leadership dreams into reality.
Even though many have returned to a routine that more closely resembles pre-pandemic life, many parents are still working from home or simply looking for fun ways to support good old-fashion playtime.
Figgy checks all the boxes.
As any parent knows, keeping kids occupied without using technology can prove to be quite challenging. Screen time continues to be on the rise with the increase in computers and smartphones replacing textbooks in the classroom. The global pandemic brought this to a head with quarantines and school closures necessitating the use of technology to facilitate learning.
Rachel Neill, Co-founder, and CEO of Figgy and veteran parent of six children became inspired by the dilemma parents were tackling throughout the pandemic – how to keep kids engaged and active while stuck at home without using technology?
“During the pandemic, I realized that there was a need to keep kids active and busy while parents were trying to navigate working from home. So, I launched Figgy on Kickstarter and we had a really successful campaign and it shot off from there,” explained Neill. Figgy supports active playtime with infinite possibilities while being easy to clean and very fashionable.
But what gave Neill the courage to start her own business, and what drives her to succeed as a female leader and entrepreneur as she balances being a mom and running a business? It all began when Neill became a mother at the age of 16. She put herself through college and got a full ride to law school. Neill became adept at creating paths to get what she wanted. Her tenacity came from the knowledge that someone was depending on her.
“You only need one yes,” is one of her favorite sayings. Even today, she admits there are challenges to balancing motherhood and her work but she focuses on putting one foot in front of another.
This is more important than ever to support gender equality in the workforce. According to a 2022 study published by Statista, female CEOs increased from 1.6% to 4.6% from 2004 to 2018. And while that is progress, there is still a massive discrepancy with males leading the vast majority of businesses. So, how do we continue to work towards a more balanced workforce?
“We need more role models. We need the women who have made the progress and helped that statistic go up to really encourage and share with other women that this is a possibility and something that they can do,” stated Neill.
And, if you can’t find the opportunity that you are seeking, create it! Entrepreneurship is a great way to go for women who want to blaze their own trail and turn their leadership dreams into reality.
Even though many have returned to a routine that more closely resembles pre-pandemic life, many parents are still working from home or simply looking for fun ways to support good old-fashion playtime.
Figgy checks all the boxes.
Amy Cyuchlewski grew up around tech. Her father was an engineer, and her brothers and sister followed in his footsteps. After a high school aptitude test pushed her to study Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, it was a total surprise to her that women were in the minority. “It hadn’t occurred to me that I was going to be in the minority in my classes,” said Cyuchlewski. Today, she understands the importance of female exposure in her field. The direction gave her the benefit of blinding her from the gender hurdle in her future. Now, she wants other engineers and tech professionals to understand the power of getting out there and speaking up.
After college graduation, she started work at Motorola. Cyuchlewski was one of the first tech executives to work in downloadable apps before mobile phones became human’s third appendage. Her pioneer foundation made her well-positioned to excel in the field.
Today, as a seasoned professional, Cyuchlewski works with a nonprofit called Bold Ideas. It pairs technology companies with local schools to help students learn to code. When Cyuchlewski hosts the program's introduction to students, the gender gap in the sign-ups shifts significantly. Cyuchlewski typically sees more than 50% interest from girls. Visibility is a powerful tool. Cyuchlewski urges other tech professionals to get involved in fostering younger generations. This uptake can help the industry fight a two-to-one male-to-female ratio reported in Skillsoft’s 2021 Women In Tech Report.
More female interest from a young age empowers future women in technology. The gender gap isn’t a women’s problem; it's everyone’s problem. “The diversity of thought and diversity of voices helps us solve problems better,” said Cyuchlewski. Increasing the population of female tech professionals is a huge part of achieving equal representation. The field is poised to be a good fit for working mothers, with flexible working hours and work-from-home opportunities. Working moms don’t have to sacrifice their home life when working in tech.
Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work for active tech professionals. Across the industry, females report experiencing assumptions and being overlooked. Cyuchlewski recalled a client meeting where she was mistaken for a creative exec. “A lot of times women aren’t taken seriously in technology, [we’re] told we aren’t serious enough or not technical enough,” she said. A 2022 Statista poll found that 53.8% of women in the field feel the same way.
Finding other professionals who can validate this experience is critical. Building a support group helps women validate their feelings of exclusion. And validation is key to the longevity and health of any career. When seniors mentor their junior counterparts, women can work to bridge those experiences and positions. Equally, new hires should connect with seasoned professionals to start their professional development. “The more we do that, and the more we can reinforce each other's experiences, is going to make all of us shine even more,” said Cyuchlewski.
Beyond mentoring, Cyuchlewski has efficient advice for females supporting each other. One of the most practical things women can do is lift each other in meetings. If another woman’s idea is not acknowledged, take up space to credit and repeat her idea, then follow up with something like, “I think that’s a great strategy. Let’s take a moment to discuss.” This strategy will help peers remain visible in crucial moments.
That visibility takes us back to the start of Cyunchlewski’s story and the representation she witnessed as a child, which helped her see her future in technology. That same exposure is vital to the growing female tech population. It is up to current tech professionals to be seen to build future generations. And to Empower and amplify peers to make sure they feel seen.
Amy Cyuchlewski grew up around tech. Her father was an engineer, and her brothers and sister followed in his footsteps. After a high school aptitude test pushed her to study Computer Engineering at the University of Michigan, it was a total surprise to her that women were in the minority. “It hadn’t occurred to me that I was going to be in the minority in my classes,” said Cyuchlewski. Today, she understands the importance of female exposure in her field. The direction gave her the benefit of blinding her from the gender hurdle in her future. Now, she wants other engineers and tech professionals to understand the power of getting out there and speaking up.
After college graduation, she started work at Motorola. Cyuchlewski was one of the first tech executives to work in downloadable apps before mobile phones became human’s third appendage. Her pioneer foundation made her well-positioned to excel in the field.
Today, as a seasoned professional, Cyuchlewski works with a nonprofit called Bold Ideas. It pairs technology companies with local schools to help students learn to code. When Cyuchlewski hosts the program's introduction to students, the gender gap in the sign-ups shifts significantly. Cyuchlewski typically sees more than 50% interest from girls. Visibility is a powerful tool. Cyuchlewski urges other tech professionals to get involved in fostering younger generations. This uptake can help the industry fight a two-to-one male-to-female ratio reported in Skillsoft’s 2021 Women In Tech Report.
More female interest from a young age empowers future women in technology. The gender gap isn’t a women’s problem; it's everyone’s problem. “The diversity of thought and diversity of voices helps us solve problems better,” said Cyuchlewski. Increasing the population of female tech professionals is a huge part of achieving equal representation. The field is poised to be a good fit for working mothers, with flexible working hours and work-from-home opportunities. Working moms don’t have to sacrifice their home life when working in tech.
Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work for active tech professionals. Across the industry, females report experiencing assumptions and being overlooked. Cyuchlewski recalled a client meeting where she was mistaken for a creative exec. “A lot of times women aren’t taken seriously in technology, [we’re] told we aren’t serious enough or not technical enough,” she said. A 2022 Statista poll found that 53.8% of women in the field feel the same way.
Finding other professionals who can validate this experience is critical. Building a support group helps women validate their feelings of exclusion. And validation is key to the longevity and health of any career. When seniors mentor their junior counterparts, women can work to bridge those experiences and positions. Equally, new hires should connect with seasoned professionals to start their professional development. “The more we do that, and the more we can reinforce each other's experiences, is going to make all of us shine even more,” said Cyuchlewski.
Beyond mentoring, Cyuchlewski has efficient advice for females supporting each other. One of the most practical things women can do is lift each other in meetings. If another woman’s idea is not acknowledged, take up space to credit and repeat her idea, then follow up with something like, “I think that’s a great strategy. Let’s take a moment to discuss.” This strategy will help peers remain visible in crucial moments.
That visibility takes us back to the start of Cyunchlewski’s story and the representation she witnessed as a child, which helped her see her future in technology. That same exposure is vital to the growing female tech population. It is up to current tech professionals to be seen to build future generations. And to Empower and amplify peers to make sure they feel seen.
Andi Huels, Head of AI, North America at Lenovo is a true trailblazer, with a career path that, across several industries, gave her important touchpoints around the power of smart tools and has taken her to the top of the AI game. She began her career in the oil and gas industry for Crane , focusing on automation when digital transformation was a fairly new concept. From there, she worked in industrial automation in a variety of vertical markets including supply chain and logistics automation, for companies like Omron, SPOC, and Dematic. It was at this point in her career that she caught the AI bug.
The AI fork in Huels’ career road was inspired by two driving questions: “How do we make a distribution center intelligent? How do we combine automation and artificial intelligence?” Huels found herself with a “need for speed,” the desire to become a “disruptive innovator.” She was passionate about becoming a part of the AI movement and found her way to Lenovo where, in her words, she became the “chief AI evangelist.”
With women making up a mere 26% of data and AI positions in the workforce, according to a 2020 World Economic Forum report, it’s quite the accomplishment that Huels has made her way to a top leadership position within a global corporation. This is made even more impressive by the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI’s 2021 AI Index Report which found that women make up just 16% of tenure-track faculty focused on AI globally.
When asked about these statistics, Huels was pleasantly surprised.
“You know it’s actually a little bit higher than I thought it might be because I feel like I’m alone when I’m out there. I really don’t see a lot of women at the AI conferences. So, 26% seems inspiring,” she said.
She goes on to discuss the need for women to ‘know their stuff’ and have poise and confidence if they want to succeed in a male-dominated industry, such as AI.
Her advice to other women on the rise was simple and poignant: Pick your battles, noting that there are two strategies when dealing with pushback – fight or walk away. She notes that it’s important to evaluate whether an issue is worth fighting for or whether it’s a fundamental cultural difference, a hill not worth dying on.
She also believes women are an amazing asset to the AI industry. And for women considering AI, “it’s much easier and more fun than you think it is. If you love connecting your friends, connecting people together, it’s a natural fit for you,” Huels said. Demand for AI talent is high across the country and across industries, and it’s only going to keep growing. Every industry is being disrupted with new technologies and market pressures that call for efficient operations and solutions, increasing the necessity for AI technologies and professionals.
Huels noted that she has an “overwhelming demand here at Lenovo.”
“I focus predominately on retail, QSR… manufacturing, supply chain logistics, and CPG. I can’t even keep up with it,” she said.
Maybe now is the time to spread out that demand across more women willing to make a career in the AI space. It’s a call to women to see how they can influence one of the fastest-growing industries in the world while making a mark on the future.
“Female” and “construction” are two words that are not typically paired. But Jackie Pasierbowicz, VP of Global Sales and Marketing at TAS Energy, is helping change this. Pasierbowicz discussed more about the current gender dynamic in the industry and how to promote female involvement with Host Gabrielle Bejarano.
Pasierbowicz started in the software industry and moved to TAS for a better work-life balance, where she began in marketing and shifted to sales. TAS reduces onsite construction risk by constructing offsite and shipping to the main site. Pasierbowicz said, “I’ve really learned and been able to adopt some of the day-to-day engagements to learn more about the engineering aspect of things while I don’t necessarily need to be an expert to do what I do on a day-to-day basis.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites that just under 89 percent of workers in the construction industry are male. Of the ten percent of females in the industry, only 14 percent attain a VP or “C” level position. Pasierbowicz explained this is partly because females are uneducated on roles they can play in this industry. Those who enter it often do because of family members who transfer their interest. However, there is ample opportunity for women to enter and grow in the industry. “There’s a vast amount of opportunities out there for women in the industry and more often than not, I find that most men want to cultivate those women and really help them grow within their role,” Pasierbowicz stated.
Pasierbowicz suggested female VPs and CEOs should mentor and nurture new women in the industry and cross train them in other aspects of the business, so their growth potential is greater. This can also assist in forming a more cohesive team. Pasierbowicz explained, “Sometimes, you have to walk a fine line to make people feel valued and that they trust you. If you have a team that trusts you, that knows that you value them, then as a leader, they will always not only do what’s right for the company, but what’s right for the team and what’s right for themselves.”
As for advice Pasierbowicz has for females who are new to the industry, she said, “No matter where you come into the industry, what knowledge base you have, there’s always room for growth and it’s okay for us to challenge ourselves to learn more.”
To hear more from Dig Your Heels In, visit Marketscale’s show page.
When it comes to the world of interior design, Amber Clore, Owner of A.Clore Interiors is recognized as one of the best. Having found her passion at a young age, Clore spent her early days working on home projects while her peers were hanging out at the local playground. Clore graduated from Florida State University and opened the doors of her interior design business in 2012. Since then, she has developed an impressive list of clientele including “NBA and NFL athletes, Elected Officials, and Disney/Celebration Resorts” to name a few.
Additionally, Clore’s work “has been showcased on several design shows and renowned media outlets like HGTV, Houzz.com, Fox35 Good Day Orlando, and more.” Her success lies in her founding philosophy and belief in the power of design. Helping clients all over Florida in “creating spaces and environments that uplift and are healthy and safe and of course, attractive. That’s the cost of me calling myself an interior designer. It’s about really harnessing and helping families and business owners to create spaces that really uplift and match their personalities,” said Clore.
Her impressive resume in this competitive industry dominated by male leaders speaks for itself. According to Zippia, “72.7% of all Interior Designers are women, while 22.4% are men.” However, stats also note that only 30% of firm leadership roles are filled by women. Clore acknowledges these statistics stating that “first I say, as far as to the mostly women and a few good men, that’s what we say in a room full of interior designers there are just a few good men that will stand out.
But I think that interior design is very creative, and it doesn’t matter if you are male or female. I think creative energy flows through all of us. So, if somebody harnesses the fact that interior design is their niche or their career path, then I promote that no matter what.”
Clore goes on to discuss the difference in statistics between the residential and commercial sectors noting that a lot of engineering and architectural positions as well as leadership positions in both sectors are held by men. So, how does a woman advance within the design industry and where can they find guidance in developing robust careers that lead to leadership roles?
The answer lies in finding role models who have been down the path and achieved success at the leadership level. The saying “you can’t be what you can’t see” is something most women in the design field are probably familiar with. “Women designers aren’t getting the same recognition as their male counterparts, nor the same opportunities for progression and promotion—in part because they have so few role models in those positions” (Inside Design).
Clore understands these challenges and as a successful leader and business owner works to help others achieve their goals. “I think it's kind of that leg up, helping you helping each other up the hill in a sense while understanding that men and women have different strengths. What I do think men and women within the design industry have in common is decisiveness and resiliency.”
And this is where Clore believes design professionals can come together, regardless of gender identity, to continue working to transform the industry into a more equal playing field.
There are a number of industries that have historically had a disproportionate amount of male or female workers. Women dominate education and healthcare while more men have worked in construction and the manufacturing industry. To meet this difference, Allison Grealis, President and Founder of the Women in Manufacturing Association (WiM), combines her 22 years of experience in the trade association space to sit down with host Shannon Maverick to discuss what it’s like to be a woman in such a male-dominated space and the future for women in the industry.
The national trade association founded by Grealis is focused on supporting, promoting and inspiring women in the manufacturing sector. Over the past decade, female participation in manufacturing has grown 3%, up to 30%. While manufacturing is still a male dominated industry, this growth continues to inspire for the future of women in the industry.
Grealis acknowledged that while only 1 in 4 manufacturing leaders are women, according to the US Census Bureau, her organization is set to change that.
With over 12,000 members and 30 chapters throughout the United States, WiM is opening doors for women in manufacturing and encouraging them to explore the industry, whether through school, referrals, or apprenticeship opportunities.
The industry is only set to expand. It is estimated that there will be a 2.8 million worker shortage in the industry by 2028 and Grealis said, “There’s lots of opportunities for women to apply their talent and their expertise,” while the industry continues to improve its recruitment process.
The Women in Manufacturing Association aims to help, “Our goal is for women not to feel alone, not to feel isolated,” stated Grealis. The association does this by connecting women to resources, peers, and sponsors. In doing so, Grealis said, “We’ve seen more mobility and advancement,” in manufacturing positions, especially in leadership positions which fights the preconceived notion that women can’t be hands-on within the industry.
Maverick noted Grealis’ own experience in a male-dominated industry must have had its challenges, “How did you navigate your own path through this male-dominated industry?”
Grealis answered with one of the most important lessons she learned early on: that it was pertinent to be open to a “different learning curve,” and to “not be afraid to ask for help.”
Tune into the series for more stories on women in the workplace and to learn more about WiM, visit https://www.womeninmanufacturing.org/.